It Shouldn't Be Me
by Julygirl125
Summary: It's reaping day and all eyes are on District 12's own Effie Trinket as she pulls a name out of the giant glass ball. "Primrose Everdeen" She calls. My world started to spin, and I get dizzy. It was me, of all people. I walked up and took my place. She then called a boys name, and unfamiliar name. But a familiar boy volunteered. And that boy was my sisters best friend, Gale.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

I'm pacing back and forth, and so is mother. She should have been home by now! What if she'd been caught, or trapped? I was thinking off all the possibilities when she burst through the door. I breathed a sigh of relief, at last my sister was home! I was all ready, and we were waiting for her to go. My mother rushed over to her, hugged her, and told her to go get dressed. I walked over to her, "I thought something had happened to you!" I told her.

"I was just in the woods with Gale, as usual, you know I can take care of myself Prim!" she told me, a bit too harshly, then walked off to her room. She just must be nervous, I know I am, and I'm pretty sure just about every girl and boy between the ages of twelve and eighteen are. Although, who wouldn't be on the day of the reaping?

Katniss came out of her room; her mother had put her hair into a beautiful braid. My hair was in two side braids, I was wearing Katniss's old reaping clothes for my first reaping. "you look beautiful" she smiled at me. I smiled back We walked to the town square, and got to our places. I looked over at my big sister and she gave me a reassuring smile. I was still nervous, even though I knew I wouldn't get picked. My name was only in the reaping ball once. I was nervous for everyone, for my sister, for my friends. Effie Trinket steps up to the stage and the same procedure of videos and speeches goes on until it is time to choose the tributes of the 74th annual Hunger Games. She reaches her hand into the glistening sphere reaping ball. I watched her hand move swiftly before picking a name. she unfolded the piece of paper and read the name aloud.

"Primrose Everdeen!" she said in a preppy voice. My whole world started spinning, and all eyes were on me. I herd my mother break down, my sister screming, and Gale trying to calm her down. I, myself didn't make a sound. I had to go to the stage, but I didn't move an inch. I started wailing and crying and ran over to mother who held me tight, tears were streaming down her eyes too. This can't be happening, my name was only In the reaping ball once! The odds were not in my favor…

Peacekeepers came and pried me from my mother and on the stage. I covered my face with my hands, which soon became drenched by my own tears. I can't die! Not now, not yet, not like this!

It was now time to pick a boys name. Effie did the same swift movement and picked a name, a name I was unfamiliar with.

"Peeta Mellark!" she said. I saw a boy, about the age of my sister, drain of color. He looked around to see everyone looking at him. As he made his way up to the stage, there was a commotion in the crowd and a boy pushed through the crowd "I volunteer as tribute" he said. This boy was far more familolar than the boy who had been called. For the boy standing before the crowd of everyone in district 12 was Gale Hawthorne, and I knew him all too well, for he was my sisters best friend, and love of her life.

I gasped as Gale entered the stage, as did his family. His mother started to cry and his siblings grabbed onto their mother for protection, even though they weren't the ones who needed it. Katniss was a wreck. I saw something in her eyes, a look of knowing. She knew more than I did, she knew why her best friend was standing in front of me, volunteering. Volunteering for death.

They made us shake hands, Gale smiled at me warily and I just looked at him aimlessly. We were whisked away to the justice building, where we would say goodbye to our family and friends for the last time. I waited in a room until my mother and sister burst in and engulfed me in hugs and kisses and soft words. But I just needed to see my sister

"Prim,oh my Little Duck. I don't know what happened! I was frozen! It felt like my whole world was coming down on me and I just froze! How so foolish of me! I simply hate myself Prim, and I'm so sorry I didn't volunteer! I would have done it in a heartbeat, but the thing was...my heart stopped. And I'm just so sorry" Katniss, wept. In my mind I just keep on thinking, my sister, my beautiful sister, I will never see again. I know they already saw Gale, so I asked the question that has been nagging at me. Why did he volunteer?

THANKS FOR READING! I'M NEW THIS IS MY FIRST STORY, BUT THERE WILL BE MANY MORE TO COME! I HAVE A FEW CHAPTERS OF ANOTHER, BETTER ONE WRITTEN UP ON MY IPOD AND I JUST HAVE TO E-MAIL THEM TO MY COMPUTER. BUT THEY WILL BE UP SOON. ANYWAYS THANKS FOR READING, THIS MEANS ALOT TO ME AND SORRY IF ITS NOT GOOD,OR HAS GRAMMER MISTAKES BECAUSE I'M NEW, AND BETWEEEN THE AGES OF 10 AND 17 SO :) SO HAVE MERCY ON ME :)

PLEASE REVIEW/FAVORITE, I LOVE YOU GUYS!


	2. Chapter 2

"He did it to protect you, he is going to be by your side, and protect your life, even if it means losing his. He's going to help you win this, Dear God please let him help you win this!" my sister cried. I talked to my mother and told her everything would be okay, even though I knew it wouldn't. Me, katniss and my mother mostly just hugged the rest of the time until peacekeepers came in and literally had to drag my sister out. "Oh! I forgot! Here take this." She said, as she broke the grip of one of the peacekeepers. "To protect you" Katniss whispered, and placed a shiny gold pin in my hand so gently, as if my hand were made of thin glass. The peacekeepers came in and dragged her out once again. I took a look at my golden pin, with what seemed like a bird in the center. But this was not just any bird, this was a mockingjay.

They draggged her to the door and as the door shut, I saw my cat Buttercup crawl in, she lay in my lap, comforting me. People came in and went out. Friends, family, and people I barely knew. I was loved by more people I could ever imagine. Peacekeepers brought Buttercup back to my family, that I might or might not see again with Gale's help, if i even choose to accept it. After that we went to board the train.

I saw the crowd waving at me and Gale, right before we boarded the train I caught my sisters eye. "See you soon" she mouthed

"See you soon" I mouthed back in reply, the doors closed, and I was on my way to the Capital, to my possible, almost cirtian death.

I examined my surroundings. I must admit they were beautiful and elegant in so many ways. Everything was all so foreign, so different from district 12! To say the least, it's fancy. I notice Gale to my left, yet I stay silent. Before I can finish admiring the tribute train we are told we have our own bedroom compartments, dressing areas, and bathrooms to freshen up in, with real running water!

Maybe I should take a shower before dinner. I guess I will, I would like to get a taste of the Capitol, it very well may be the last magnificent thing I ever see.

I look for something nice to wear in the drawers filled with clothes. I finally find a white tunic and some green pants, nothing really special. I forgot about what my sister gave me and I reached into my pocet of my old clothes and pulled out the pin I didn't really get a chance to examine.

I got it out and out and put it on my shirt. Effie Trinket comes in to collect me for supper. No one in our district is too fond of her, and I don't blame them. She is a bit, well, awful. She's not mean or anything. Actually, it's the exact opposite of that! We sit down at the table and there's Gale, and the food, but there's something missing.

"Where's Haymitch?!" Effie asks cheerily. Oh yes! That's it, that's what was missing! District 12's mentor, Haymitch is absent from dinner. We hear a commotion coming from the hallway. Not long after, we hear a clattering sound and then we see plates and pictures fall to the ground along with a drunken Haymitch. "Can I get another drink?" he asks groggily. I see Gale give him the evil eye, and I just roll mine.

"Oh! There you are! You almost missed supper!" Effie says brightly as if she didn't see what just happened. Two people rush over to clean up the mess left by our mentor. There was something off about them, I could just tell. Nobody was kind enough to apologize about the mess left by Haymitch, so I decided to.

"Sorry for the mess he made! He's just a little…out of it" I say. They just give me a slight nod and scurried away. Now what was that about? That was a bit odd, but oh well. My mind trails away from them and toward the food placed in front of our faces. I don't know what half of this food is, it all looks so fancy! I examined the dishes.

Wow! I counted about 15 different kinds of food on the table. I load my plate with some kind of potatoes, apparently they have something called garlic on them…it tastes funny and tingly in my mouth! It's actually really delicious! I take a forkful of some noodles stacked on top of each other, with some kind of cheese substance in it. I took a bite, a little afraid to taste this foreign food of the Capitol. I took one tiny bite, then a bigger one, then another big one, until it was all gone! I reached to get some more, I haven't even tasted half the food in front of me, and I'm getting more of this amazing food.

"Wa is dif?" I ask Effie through bites.

"It's called lasagna darling!" she piped taking a sip of some colorful, fruity looking beverage. It looked thicker than a regular drink.

"It's a smoothie sweetie! Would you like one?"

"What's in it" I ask cautiously

"Why, anything you want sweetie!...That is, fruit. You can't get something silly like caviar or steak in a smoothie! Oh heavens no!" she gasps. I just nod because I have no idea what those foods are. I don't know many fruits.

"Can I have a list?" I ask the girl who is one of the people who help clean up Haymitches mess. She just gives me a confused look, but theres something else in her eyes. It's not confusion, it looks like fear, pleading. I look into her eyes and I hear them say words her mouth doesn't. Effie pipes up,

"A list of what dear?" she asks half giggling.

"Fruits…" I say. And the girl hurries away without a word. Thats strange. I sit and await my fruit list. To be honest, that was humiliating. I don't know why, I guess I just don't feel like I…fit in.

Gale leans over to me. I almost forgot he was here.

"Avox" he whispers in my ear, then leans back and continues eating his food. Avox? What does that mean? I gave Gale a confused look, but he just shakes his head.

The girl comes out with a piece of laminated paper and places it in my hands. I didn't even know there was this many kinds of FOOD in the world! Much less FRUITS! It goes in alphabetical order. I look down the list and see a funny word..."What's a banaenae?" I ask the girl. She shoots a frightened look at Effie who is laughing her head off. Haymitch is making a noise that I guess should be considered a laugh in his drunken state.

"Honey, it's pronounced banana! Oh dear! Someone educate this dear child!" she smiles, while still laughing.

"Just tell me what it is…" I say coldly, a bit offended by her earlier comment.

"oh, little missy, do you know anything about the capitol at all?" I just sluched down in my chair. Obviously I didn't!

THANKS A BILLION FOR READING THIS! PLEASE, THIS IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL OWNED BY ME, IF ANYONE COPIES IT AND/OR POSTS IT TO ANOTHER STORY WEBSITE, I WILL TELL MY MOM (ooohhh what's so scary about your mom?) SHES A POLICE OFFICER ;) SO THANKS FOR READING AND I HOPE TO GET REVIEWS! ALSO FAVORITES!


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